Six killed in UAE plane crash

Six Sudanese crew members were killed after a cargo aircraft carrying them crashed soon after takeoff from the Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah civil aviation director Khaled al-Qassimi confirmed to the AFP. The Sharjah airport closed its runway after the crash.

According to reports, the plane, a Boeing 707, went down about three kilometers from the airport. “The place is contained. All the fires are extinguished,” said al-Qassimi. “We are the picking up bits and pieces for the investigation.”

While this plane was owned by Lufthansa and Condor in the ’80s and the UAE Amiri flight 10 years later it was probably very well maintained. But with change after change of ownership it had likely attracted quite a number of fake parts over its forty year lifespan. Is that why an eyewitness reported a piece dropping from the plane before the crash?

Interesting that one eyewitness at Sharjah said it crashed on landing while the majority confirmed it was after take-off.

Why does a freighter need six crew?

The pilots of these junkheaps are the ones I feel sorry for; they have no option but to fly these poorly maintained wrecks until sooner or later a critical component fails.